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SOS - Please help! Singer 201 Problem!

Please help!

I have a Singer 201 that started making a "plink" noise. I finally tracked it down after pulling the bobbin and rotary hook. When the bobbin case/rotary hook spins and the needle comes to the down position, the needle gets hit by a tab on the rotary hook.

The picture below shows the hook sliding along after being hit. When the tab goes around, the needle pops back. Sorry for the incorrect terminology.

Does anyone know if this can be fixed? Is it a timing problem? I've done an extensive internet search, but can't find anything similar.

Last edited by Lost_Biker; 11-28-2012 at 11:01.
Reason: added stuff

I got in a fight one time with a really big guy, and he said, "I'm going to mop the floor with your face." I said, "You'll be sorry." He said, "Oh, yeah? Why?" I said, "Well, you won't be able to get into the corners very well."

Looking a bit more closely, on my machine there is about 1/16" of clearance between the needle and the crook in the little spring clip. You pic shows it to be less than that. Is it possible those two screws are loose and the clip has moved?

Also there is another clip that attaches under the rotary hook and extends up both sides before securing to the top of the hook in a small semicircular recess. It's about 1/4" wide. In your pic it doesn't look perfectly flush with the side of the rotary hook next to the needle. It should be.

Detail Man - thanks for the fast response. The needle is hitting the clip. You can actually see the needle flex when it gets hit. Brand new unused needle (Singer needle). I don't know exactly how long its been doing it - I was oiling it this morning and heard the ting of the needle hitting that clip. With the machine on it's side I can clearly see the needle getting hit - it rides along that clip and pops back off the clip.

Checked all the screws and they are tight.

I got in a fight one time with a really big guy, and he said, "I'm going to mop the floor with your face." I said, "You'll be sorry." He said, "Oh, yeah? Why?" I said, "Well, you won't be able to get into the corners very well."

Found the problem thanks to Detail Man! The spring clips were being forced out by years of built up crud. Once Detail Man said his machine had a gap, it finally clicked in my mind. I removed the clips and clean quite alot of caked on lint that was keeping the clips from fitting flush.

Another lesson learned the hard way - clean out that lint! Thanks for any and all help! See the pictures below.

I got in a fight one time with a really big guy, and he said, "I'm going to mop the floor with your face." I said, "You'll be sorry." He said, "Oh, yeah? Why?" I said, "Well, you won't be able to get into the corners very well."

I got in a fight one time with a really big guy, and he said, "I'm going to mop the floor with your face." I said, "You'll be sorry." He said, "Oh, yeah? Why?" I said, "Well, you won't be able to get into the corners very well."